Be Mine
by Gumdrop1
Summary: When a rumor starts circulating that someone else is going to ask T'Pol out for Valentine's Day Archer must consider that it may be now or never.


Title: Be Mine  
Author: Gumdrop  
Rating: PG  
Category: A/T Tu/S  
Feedback: Gumireland@aol.com  
Disclaimer: Star Trek isn't mine. Neither is Titanic.   
AN: The was written for the Archer's Fanfiction Valentine's Day Challenge Although I don't think there was any other requirement than it had to be about Valentine's Day.   
  
  
Hoshi shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot as she stood behind Archer in the lift on their way back from lunch and contemplated what she'd gotten herself into. But, after all a deal was a deal. "There's a rumor going around sir."   
  
"I'm not interested in rumors Ensign." The use of her rank she knew was supposed to intimidate her. He was in actuality the one feeling nervous, this was his way of trying to gain the higher ground. "It's about T'Pol." Archer's turned to regard her, then he returned to looking at the lift door.  
  
"Ruff" Said Porthos, who was joining his owner on bridge duty that afternoon.   
  
"Well…" Sighed Archer with a sly smile. "I suppose it's only fair that Porthos be allowed to hear it if he wants. I'll just not listen."   
  
"Of course not Sir. So, anyway, rumor has it that Malcolm's going to ask T'Pol out for Valentine's Day."  
  
"HE WHAT?!!!!" The lift door chose that moment to open and Archer's eyes locked with the object of his affections. Only he had regretfully just found out that she was the object of Malcolm's affections as well. His heart sank straight to the deck plating.   
  
T'Pol for her part raised only an eyebrow at the Captain's outburst. "Good afternoon Captain."  
  
"T'Pol"  
  
"Ensign."  
  
"Sub-Commander" Hoshi walked past both of them and tried not to smile as she took her station. Porthos also looking for a good afternoon went over to T'Pol, placed both his front paws on her leg and looked up at her expectantly. It was odd really. Porthos usually made it a point to avoid people who he could sense didn't like him, but Porthos had always lavished T'Pol with attention. In fact, on more than one occasion Archer had had to tell Porthos to leave her alone. And yet he wouldn't give up. Perhaps he should take the hint.   
  
T'Pol eyed the creature. Usually she would look to the Captain to rescue her from the animal's clutches, but circumstances being what they were this afternoon she considered a different approach and laid her hand briefly on the dog's head. He wagged his tail profusely. The scientist in T'Pol was fascinated, she had offered him very little affection and yet he seemed to be thriving on it. Curious. T'Pol turned back to her station, and Porthos, satisfied that that was all he was going to get from her turned back to Archer., who couldn't suppress his grin at T'Pol's surprising actions. "I'll be in my ready room. You have the bridge Sub-Commander"   
  
Once safely inside he began pacing. "It's not fair Porthos. I saw her first. Right? Why can't I ask her out on a date? It's just a date right? It's not like I'm asking her to marry me? Its just dinner. I'm not even going to try and kiss her. I'm just going to take her to dinner. And maybe bring her a rose. I mean I have to bring her a rose it's Valentine's Day. Or maybe a dozen roses. And chocolates. And maybe a diamond engagement ring. And maybe while we're at dinner we'll pick out our china pattern. Ok, so maybe I am in love with her. And maybe my intentions are a lot more long term than just dinner but is there anything wrong with that? I don't think so. " Archer sighed. "But I am still her Captain. I could get fired for asking my second in command out on a date. Do I really care? Hell no. Besides, there are times when it defiantly seems like she's flirting with me. And if I'm going to make a move, it's now or never. Right? Right!" Archer opened the comm. channel to the bridge. "Archer to Ensign Sato report to my ready room." He looked at Porthos who gave him an odd look. "Well I can't ask her while we're still on duty, that would be unethical." Hoshi came in.   
  
"You wanted to see me Sir."  
  
"I need a favor."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I need you to get rid of Malcolm this afternoon."  
  
Hoshi gave him a wicked smile. "Define 'get rid of ' Sir."  
  
Archer scowled at her but let it slide. It wouldn't do to make his ally mad. Right now he needed Hoshi's help. " I want you to get Malcolm off the bridge about 10min before shift ends and keep him off till about 10 min after. I want a chance to talk to T'Pol off duty before Malcolm does."  
  
" Ok. But there is one problem."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"T'Pol's not on the bridge right now, I don't know if she's going to be back before the end of duty shift."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Engineering. Upgrading the lateral sensor array."  
  
"Not a problem, I still have an hour before crunch time. I'm sure by then I'll have come up with an excuse to get her back on the bridge."   
  
"And into your waiting arms Sir?"  
  
"Hoshi! What's with you today? If I didn't know better I'd say you were on something."  
  
"That's not too far from the truth Sir. Chef was making candy in prep for Valentine's Day and he may have let me taste one to many."   
  
"So I have a communications officer with a sugar buzz and a security officer trying to steal my girl. Anything else I need to know about while you're here. Should I be worried about T'Pol down in Engineering?"   
  
"Not that I've heard of."  
  
"Well if you hear anything else through the grapevine be sure to let me know."  
  
"I thought you weren't interested in rumors Sir."  
  
"If you can't beat 'em Ensign."   
  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
When T'Pol arrived in his ready room Archer tried to make small talk about a gas giant they had discovered. But the star was far from anything new and exciting so T'Pol quickly caught on to the fact that Archer kept gazing at the clock.   
"May I may an observation Sir?"  
  
"I'm nervous."  
  
"Would you like to talk about it?"   
  
"Its interesting T'Pol."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"A little over a year ago you would have been itching to get out that door, and now your offering to be my sounding board."  
  
"A little over a year ago you never would have trusted me to be your 'sounding board'" She paused, seemingly gathering her thoughts, and, if it was even possible, a little courage. "Perhaps the connection between us has always been there, it was only the communication skills that we needed to learn."   
  
"Interesting theory."  
  
"I have noticed that the major differences between our species seem to be cultural rather than biological."  
  
"I've noticed that with a lot of humanoid species. Sad we all just can't get along."  
  
"Understanding has to start somewhere."  
  
"Like with us?" T'Pol blinked her eyes and inclined her head. That was a yes.   
  
"So what's making you nervous?" It was the way she said it. The look in her eyes, the tone in her voice, that made Archer suddenly feel like T'Pol was on the prowl and that she had just sized him up as her next meal. Good thing she was a vegetarian. He looked at the clock.   
  
"Give me 6 min and I'll tell you." T'Pol blinked and walked slowly past Archer ending up at the window behind him. Her eyes, however, never left his. It was an invitation. He stood up and joined her gazing out at the stars. They stood that way for six minutes. T'Pol appeared the perfect example of a Vulcan, expressing no emotion whatsoever. Archer, on the other hand, his smile only grew. He was considering the silence itself. It was just so comfortable. He had always wanted that in a woman, someone he could just be with. It only seemed well…logical..that it was with T'Pol. Archer's smile widened even more at that thought. To think, he'd grown up hating that word. But now, like everything else associated with T'Pol it just felt right.   
  
"It's been six mininuts Sir."  
  
"Then perhaps you shouldn't be calling me Sir. We're not on duty anymore."   
  
"What would you like me to call you?"  
  
"I don't care really, but I just want you to know that you're welcome to call me by my first name if you want to."  
  
T'Pol considered the offer. She had called him by his first name before, but only in dreams. She wasn't sure if she was ready to do it in the waking world. So she decided the logical course of action was to bypass the subject. "You were going to tell me why you are nervous?"  
  
She hadn't taken the invitation to use his first name right away. That wasn't a good sign. Suffice it to say that Archer was now even more nervous, and he was considering backing out of his original intent. But, no, Jonathan Archer was not a man to back out. For better or worse he would see this through.  
  
"Could I walk you to your quarters? Or wherever it is you're headed next?"  
  
"If you like." They proceeded in silence to the lift. As the quiet continued T'Pol seemed to shrink back into the Sub-Commander who he had first threatened to knock on her ass at Starfleet Medical. The flirtatious creature that had locked eyes with him in his ready room a few minuets ago was fast slipping away with every floor the lift passed. Archer took a deep breath, it was time.   
  
"Valentine's Day's coming."  
  
"So I've heard."   
  
"I was wondering, if you didn't already have plans, if you'd care to be my date for the evening. We could go see the movie, they're showing Titanic, it's considered to be one of the greatest love stories, and then we could have dinner." Archer was tempted to keep talking, but he knew he would only start rambling so he just shut his mouth and waited for her to speak. Or possibly kill him, he was never sure with her.   
  
"T"Pol looked like she was going to answer him, but the lift door opened and instead she walked out, looking back over her shoulder to make sure he was following. She said nothing until they had reached her door and turned to face him. He took a deep breath and swallowed, here it comes.   
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Later that evening T'Pol was sitting in the mess hall engrossed in a book and a garden salad when Hoshi slammed her tray down on the table across from T'Pol. She plopped down into the chair and started to violently dig into her ravioli. Not that long ago T'Pol would've been disturbed by the Ensign's behavior, but she had learned that just because humans expressed their emotions strongly didn't mean that they were out of control. Still, T'Pol wasn't going to make any sudden moves, just to be on the safe side. "I take it you don't have a date for Valentine's Day Ensign."  
  
"You chickened out didn't you?"  
  
"Chickened out?"  
  
"You got scared and didn't go through with it."  
  
"Fear is an emotion."  
  
"Did you or didn't you T'Pol?"  
  
"I told him exactly what you told me to tell him, exactly the way you told me to."  
  
Hoshi sighed and slumped down in her chair. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."  
  
"It's alright. "   
  
"How did things go for you?" T'Pol blinked but said nothing. "I'll take that to mean that you got your date."   
  
"I'm sorry you didn't get yours."  
  
"Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I misjudged his interest in me." No sooner had Hoshi finished her sentence then Trip came running through the mess hall doors. "Hoshi!!!!" He was panting, totally out of breath. "Could I see you out in the hall a second.?" He tried to compose himself. Everyone was staring at him, after all the Chief Engineer tearing through the mess hall wasn't an everyday sight.   
  
"Sure." Hoshi got up and followed Trip out, winking at T"Pol, who winked back.  
  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Valentine's afternoon Trip met up with Archer in the lift.   
"So Cap'n what are your Valentine's Day plans?" Archer considered not telling him, but by tomorrow everyone would know that he'd taken T'Pol out so there was really no point in holding it off.   
  
"I have a date."  
  
"A date? With who?"  
  
"T'Pol"  
  
"T'Pol?"  
  
"What's wrong with T'Pol?"  
  
"Nothing. I just, you know, figured she had higher standards." Trip started to laugh at his own joke.  
  
"Very funny Commander, keep laughing and I'll have you scrubbing plasma conduits this evening."   
  
"All right, all right, I was just kidding."  
  
"I know, I'm just nervous, that's all."  
  
"No woman can resist the Archer charms." The boys looked at each other and thought about the woman in   
question. "So good luck tonight."  
  
"Thanks, I'll need it. What are your plans?"  
  
"I got a date with Hoshi"  
  
"So you finally asked her out."  
  
"Yep, I wasn't about to let Malcolm steal her away."  
  
"Malcolm?"  
  
"Yeah, I'd heard that he was planning on asking her out for Valentine's Day, I debated it for a while but finally decided to take a chance. You only live once right?"   
  
"Trip, who told you Malcolm was going to ask Hoshi out of Valentine's Day?"  
  
"T'Pol, when she was down in engineering the other day. You remember, you called her back up to the bridge later, sounded pretty urgent." Archer had visibly paled. "You alright?"  
  
"Oh I remember that day Trip. It was earlier that day that Hoshi informed me that Malcolm was planning on asking T'Pol out for Valentine's Day." Trip looked confused for a moment, then realization hit.   
  
"Damn Captain, they tricked us."  
  
"Yes they did."  
  
"Do you care?"  
  
Archer thought of his soon to be date. "Not really. You?"  
  
Trip thought of his evening plans as well. "Naw, how can I, I got a date with the girl of my dreams."   
  
The lift stopped and allowed Travis on before continuing on its way.   
  
Archer broke the silence. "I'm going to have to find a way to apologize to Malcolm tomorrow. I've been giving him dirty looks all week."   
  
"Yeah me too. Poor Malcolm, us picking on him, plus I guess this means that he's all alone for Valentine's Day tabot."  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that Sir." Travis jumped in. "Rumor has it…"  
  
"No more rumors!" Both stated and walked out of the lift. The door closed once more leaving a startled Ensign Mayweather alone.   
  
"Was it something I said?" 


End file.
